


Skipping Classes

by Joana789



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 5 Times, Fluff, Hurt, M/M, Tsukki's swearing a bit, Unrequited Love, and i like this work too, but only partially, hope you will as well, i love these idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 12:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3249272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joana789/pseuds/Joana789
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times when Yamaguchi skips classes alone and once when not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skipping Classes

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the "Five times" idea. Also, Tsukki's never been much of a truant type for me but Yamaguchi? Why not.  
> Sorry for any mistakes!  
> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://angstandcats.tumblr.com)

01.

He kind of expects to see someone by the gate of the school, and when he doesn’t, it strikes him that there’s nothing particularly weird about it but, for some reason, he wishes there was. Yamaguchi would feel safer if he saw someone out there, anyone – some laughing girls or upperclassmen smiling at him or even a teacher, who would shoot him a suspicious glance; he would sigh then and go inside the building because there's not much time left until the first lesson starts.

There is no one outside, though, and Tadashi soon discovers himself trembling a bit. He doesn’t want to be late, because Tsukishima’s most likely already waiting for him in the classroom, tight-lipped, a bored expression on his face – Tadashi can see him clearly in his own head, he’s able to imagine every detail of his uniform and the deep colour of his eyes. Besides, aside from Tsukki waiting, Yamaguchi shouldn’t act like this because he’s in middle school now and has to be more responsible.

When he takes a step, though, there’s a sting of sharp pain in his leg, and even though it only lasts a second, he grits his teeth.

Yamaguchi doesn’t really know if he’s more scared or maybe embarrassed, kind of. The twinge reminds him of all the pain he felt yesterday, when these guys got him after school while he was heading home. It wasn’t the first time it happened - he’d gotten beaten up before - but that was an especially hard one. He knows that this thing is called _bullying,_ and he should tell someone about it, his parents or friends, but he can’t.

Because he’s scared and ashamed that this kind of thing happens to _him_ , of all the people. He doesn’t really know why these guys hate him so much, but maybe he’d done something that caused it all, unintentionally or not.

So he doesn’t tell anyone, neither his parents nor Tsukki – the latter would probably just snort or hiss _pathetic_ at him, which Yamaguchi doesn’t want to hear because the bullies called him that enough times already. Instead, he hides the bruises under some sweaters or hoodies and pretends that he’s perfectly fine, that nothing hurts him at all.

Usually, it’s enough.

But today it’s not, because his leg hurts when he’s walking, and he’s simply scared. He doesn’t want to bump into one of those guys by accident, he doesn’t want them to look at him because that might cause more punches and kicks and insults in the future, and these are the last things he wants.

So, even though Tsukki is waiting for him, and he’s in middle school and shouldn’t do that, he turns around and heads in the opposite direction.

 

02.

When he yawns for the third time in five minutes, Tsukki shots him a sharp glance, and Yamaguchi instantly wants to mutter _Sorry_ , he doesn’t, though, because his friend starts walking even faster as if he wants to leave him behind, and Tadashi has to pick up the pace in order to catch up. It’s pretty difficult, if he’s being honest, because his legs barely obey his mind, and his eyelids are weirdly heavy. He kind of hoped that the cold, morning breeze would invigorate him when he goes outside, it appears not to be that much of a help, though.

“Wait for me, Tsukki!” he whines, yawning again, even though he doesn’t want to because he can feel the blonde’s irritated gaze on his face in an instant. Tsukishima slows down a little – a tiny bit but still – and Yamaguchi smiles at him instead of saying _Thank you_.

He has no idea what the time is but, judging from just how fast Tsukki is walking, they’re most likely to be late if they don’t hurry up. There’s a math test today, as Yamaguchi recalls, which almost makes him whine out loud – he’s way too tired to have any exam today. He really hasn’t been getting as much sleep as he’d like to, recently, and he predicted it would eventually take its toll on him. He knows he has dark circles under his eyes, and his hair is even messier than usual, but his parents seemed not to notice anything when he was leaving the house so he automatically assumed that Tsukki wouldn’t, either.

As he understands a minute later, he was wrong.

“What happened?” he hears; it makes him look up at his friend – the blonde became taller than him months ago, but he’s still not used to it - as they head down the street.

“What do you mean?”

Tsukishima lifts an eyebrow at him.

“Why are you so tired? Did you worry about some idiocy half of the night again?”

Yamaguchi manages to smile.

Tsukishima’s kind of right. Almost, though, because the reason he’s been missing sleep is not something stupid, quite the opposite, actually. They are friends, he and Tsukki, and Tadashi knows that the blonde doesn’t like it when he’s being lied to; Yamaguchi’s not that good of a liar anyway, but now he _cannot_ tell the truth.

It would sound ridiculous and pathetic; Tsukishima would just laugh at him.

Yamaguchi can’t admit that he thinks he has a crush on his best friend.

That’s why he says “No, it’s fine, I just couldn’t sleep last night.”

He’s almost sure that Tsukki knows he’s lying right away but, for some reason, he decides to ignore it, just shrugging, and the rest of their walk to school is silent. The moment Yamaguchi reaches the door, almost stumbling because his body doesn’t obey him, he realises that he’s probably going to fall asleep as soon as he sits down behind his desk.

Before he knows it, the words slip from his mouth.

“I don’t feel very well, Tsukki,” he mutters, supressing another big yawn, “I think I’ll go and see the nurse, actually.”

It’s such a lame lie that now Yamaguchi is sure Tsukishima _knows_ what the boy’s saying is not true. Tadashi expects some hissed _Yeah, of course_ or a snort, a frown.

What he gets, though, is a simple nod.

“Fine,” Tsukki says and then leaves him in the corridor, heading to the classroom because the first bell’s already ringing. Yamaguchi wants to follow him for a split second – he’s not used to skipping classes and is aware of just how much Tsukki hates when some of their colleagues do it.

Then a teacher passes by, looking at him with arched eyebrows and a question written in his eyes, which makes Tadashi flinch.

He doesn’t go to the classroom and not to the nurse, either.

Instead, he goes upstairs, to the roof, figuring that maybe some sights will help him get his mind off of Tsukishima.

He falls asleep as soon as he lets himself relax and wakes up three hours later with a surprised yelp and mind full of dreams about a certain person.

 

03.

He fucked up.

This is the only description of what he did that seems accurate enough. He’s never been especially good when it comes to writing and words in general – hasn’t been especially good at anything, to be honest -  but now he doesn’t really care. What to call it is not important.

They lost a match because of him.

The team lost, he repeats in his head, I lost, we lost. He was supposed to be their strong point, not the person because of whom the team’s going to lose. His serve was supposed to work, for God’s sake, so why didn’t it? Yamaguchi analysed everything that happened, he has memorised every move and toss, every single one of Hinata’s shouts and the sound of their shoes on the gym’s floor. Their team was losing, but the match wasn’t over yet, they could still make it – he remembers the hope on his teammates’ faces when he joined the game. It was in Hinata’s wide eyes, in Kageyama’s accelerated breathing; in Nishinoya’s quick moves or Daichi’s slightly nervous smile, even in the way Tsukki looked at him then.

But he fucked it up.

Tadashi made it through the first three lessons – barely – but now it started to become just _too much_. He was sick of the third-years, telling him that it was not his fault, Hinata looking away every time Yamaguchi tried to look him in the eye; he was even sick of Tsukishima, who just rolled his eyes at him and didn’t seem to care at all.

So, when he realised he couldn't take it anymore, he run. And now is here, on the roof, again.

Yamaguchi has no idea why, but whenever he comes here, there’s no one there. He used to go to the roof during middle school, and he does it now, in high school, as well, because at some point he discovered that the heights help him a bit. Not much, but still.

They lost, after all.

He takes a shaky breath and then realises that something cold and wet is sliding down his cheek.

Yamaguchi doesn’t know if he’s more embarrassed or angry when it strikes him that he’s crying.

He’s crying, damn it, even though he doesn’t want to. It’s ridiculous and pathetic so he tries to stop it but fails (fails even at something so simple as that); before he knows it, there’s a sob escaping him. He’s alone but grits his teeth anyway – he shouldn’t cry, he can’t. Tadashi’s almost able to hear Tsukishima’s terse voice in his head, saying _God, Yamaguchi,_ _you’re so pitiful_ and knows it’s true, knows this is what everyone thinks of him right now.

He has no idea how long it takes him to finally pull himself together – a while, for sure, because the tears just won't to stop for what it feels like ages. He does go back into the classroom, though. Some people look at him weirdly – he just smiles at them, a bit apologetically – but Tsukki doesn’t belong to that group. Yamaguchi’s skipped classes enough times for him to know exactly where he’s been. He doesn’t even say anything.

And even if he notices how oddly red Tadashi’s eyes are, he doesn’t remark upon it, either.

 

04.

Yamaguchi knows it’s almost the end of the last semester and playing hookey is basically pointless but, at the same time, it’s easy. Especially now.

He'd asked Tsukki to go to school alone today. The latter didn’t ask why – he never does that, and sometimes Yamaguchi wonders if he even cares (he knows Tsukki does, regardless of all) – and simply agreed when they were going back home after practice. Tadashi usually cherishes the fact that the blonde never pushes – if Yamaguchi doesn’t want to tell him something, he just doesn’t. From time to time, though, he wishes Tsukishima was at least a bit more inquisitive.

Because if he was, Yamaguchi would tell him, in a small voice and with his gaze lowered. He’s wanted to tell him for a long time now but Tsukki rarely asks about things that affect his friend. Tadashi doesn’t hold it against him, because this is just the way the blonde is, and this is partially why he fell in love with him in the first place – yes, it certainly is love at this point, no matter how many times he'd tried to convince himself otherwise. They’ve known each other for so long that it feels like a lifetime now, and even though, Yamaguchi still enjoys every moment spent around Tsukishima.

But he really doesn’t want to go to school today.

That is because one of the girls – Keiko, her name is, he believes – told him yesterday that she was going to confess to Tsukki the next day. A lot of girls tell him such things; it bothered him a bit in the beginning, but eventually he got used to it. They don’t treat him like an individual person but like a supplement to Tsukishima Kei, the boy they all adore. Yamaguchi can’t really bring himself to be surprised about it – that behaviour is pretty logical since it is Tsukki who’s always stronger, taller, better. He’s completely fine with that, most of the time, at least.

He is not today, though, because, no matter how ridiculous it sounds, he’s jealous.

These girls can at least confess to Tsukki. They can tell their friends about it and hope that _Tsukishima-kun_ will accept at least one of them if they try hard enough. Yamaguchi’s seen these scenes too many times to forget the look on Tsukki’s face and the spark in all of the girls’ eyes when it happened. He _really_ doesn’t need to see it – or hear about it – ever again. He doesn’t want all the girls to ask him what Tsukki likes, what his zodiac sign or favourite colour is.

Besides, he can’t stop thinking that, one day, sooner or later, in two, three or ten years, Tsukishima will finally accept one of these girls. He’s going to fall in love, introduce her to his parents, then propose and marry her. Yamaguchi’s sure she will be a lovely girl.

He’s also sure he’ll hate her.

Sooner or later, there'll be a person who will make Tsukki happy. Yamaguchi Tadashi won’t be this person because, no matter how helplessly in love he is and what he does for him, Tsukki doesn’t see it. He’s always been like it, so it’s nothing special now. They are friends. He’s supposed to try to make Tsukki happy, even if the latter never notices the effort.

_They are friends._

He waits until his parents leave the house and go to work and then decides to stay home today.

When he gets a text message from Tsukki a few hours later – it reads _Really, Yamaguchi?_ and he doesn’t have to think much in order to know just what exactly the blonde meant by that – he doesn’t reply.

 

05.

The door creaks loudly, and the sound makes Yamaguchi flinch a little. At first, he thinks it’s just because of wind – it has happened before – since it is pretty windy today, and he can’t lock the door to the roof (he’s a student, he doesn’t have the key). Yamaguchi doesn’t even bother with turning around to check, instantly closing his eyes again and relaxing. The second lesson shouldn’t be over yet, he doesn’t have to hurry.

It’s the characteristic huff that makes him turn to the door.

There’s a grimace on Tsukki’s face as he looks at Tadashi lying on the ground in front of him.

“So this is where you waste your time, huh?”

Yamaguchi gets up quickly, feeling a blush creeping across his cheeks. At first, he wants to tell Tsukishima that it really took him long enough to discover since Tadashi’s been coming here for almost two years now, but he bites his tongue, knowing that it would sound really rude.

“What are you doing here?”

Tsukki has never been here before – no wonder, since he is not the time-wasting type of person. Yamaguchi’s always come here alone (he doesn’t know why no one never comes to the roof but he’s not complaining at all). Tadashi figures that it’s a break right now, otherwise Tsukishima wouldn’t burn daylight here because of him.

Instead of answering, Tsukishima frowns and then says “It’s freezing here, Yamaguchi, are you crazy?”

Well, yeah, it is pretty chilly, but he has his jacket and scarf, besides, he’s already gotten used to the temperature. Tsukki is wearing just his uniform, though, and Tadashi is sure that is must be really cold for him here, outside.

“No,” he says, shrugging, “but I think you should go back inside, Tsukki, you’re going to catch a cold or something.”

The blonde lifts his eyebrows at that, and Yamaguchi realises that maybe he shouldn’t have said something like this.

Things between them have been pretty bad, lately. Everyone on the team could see it, without a doubt, and at some point even Yamaguchi couldn’t bring himself to pretend that everything was okay anymore. Acting like Tsukki was still just a friend for him has been getting more and more difficult and, kind of unintentionally, Tadashi started avoiding him. He was sure that Tsukishima didn’t really care but now, when he looks at him, he begins to wonder if he wasn’t wrong.

“You’re going back inside, too, Yamaguchi,” Tsukki says in a firm voice.

Yamaguchi can feel his brows furrow at that.

“I’m sorry but I think I’d rather stay here,” he answers.

Tsukishima, who’s already started to head back to the door, stops. As he turns around, Yamaguchi puts his hands in the pockets of his jacket, trying to look at least a bit stubborn.

“We are having an English test now,” he speaks, as if that was supposed to convince Yamaguchi to leave this place.

“Well, I’m not going,” the boy communicates.

He catches a glimpse of something in Tsukki’s eyes, but doesn’t really know what it is. Then he blinks, and the thing, whatever it was, is gone. He kind of expects Tsukishima to shrug, as always, and leave, go downstairs, write the test without him. He _wants_ him to go.

This is not what happens.

Before Yamaguchi can do something more than take a small, hesitant step back, Tsukki is approaching him, to the point when he’s so close they are almost touching. Maybe it’s supposed to scare him, Yamaguchi suspects (it does a bit, to be honest). The blonde is frowning; Tadashi knows that it means he’s irritated.

“Okay, I’ve been patient long enough,” Tsukki hisses, which only confirms what Yamaguchi’s assumed. His eyes are narrowed and angry. Yamaguchi doesn’t really know why, though, because it’s not like he did something particularly wrong, right? He’s told the blonde to go to the classroom without him before and it never caused any trouble; Tsukishima simply did what he was asked to. Although Tadashi knows that his friend’s not very keen on skipping lessons or practice, he’s never been visibly bothered because of someone else doing that.

Until now, as it seems.

“I’ve been tolerating that, but it’s over now,” he spits. Tsukki’s voice is getting even harsher now; Tadashi can feel shivers running down his spine, “I don’t know what your problem is, Yamaguchi, but whatever it is, I’m sick of it.”

It… kind of catches him off guard.

“What are you talking about, Tsukki?” he asks as if he didn’t know already.

“You only come here when some shit is bothering you. Only an idiot wouldn’t notice.”

They are still too close for it to be considered comfortable. Yamaguchi is able to feel the heat of Tsukishima’s body and, all of a sudden, it’s much less cold. He doesn’t know if he should step away or not.

“I don’t have a problem,” he lies, discovering that it’s a really wrong thing to say.

Tsukishima looks as if he wanted to punch him or something.

“Seriously, Yamaguchi? I know something is off so quit talking shit, will you? You’ve been really weird lately, and I tried to stay out of this but – “

“So go.”

It feels kind of bitter, these words on his tongue, because he doesn’t usually say things like that – Yamaguchi’s the guy who’s always yelling to others to _wait, hey!_ or asking Tsukki to stay a bit longer, help him with homework. But now he can feel anger boiling up in his stomach, and he really wants the blonde to leave him alone. He needs some time to figure out how to act around him, how to pretend better.

He needs some more time.

The words, despite his anger, still feel wrong, though, so he tries to conceal their original meaning.

“You will be late for the test if you don’t go now, Tsukki,” he says and, for some reason, Tsukishima’s eyes widen a bit, “So, please, go.”

 _You said you wanted to stay out of this_ , he wants to tell him, _and I’m trying to make it easier for you._ _You’re doing just fine without me so leave, okay?_

The blonde clicks his tongue.

“I want you to tell me what is bothering you so much that you need to hide here,” comes the reply (it’s the sharp-and-irritated kind, the one he’s pretty much used to), “and if you don’t tell me yourself, I’ll get to know anyway, somehow, so spit it.”

He doesn’t want to. Telling him what’s really going on is the last thing Yamaguchi wants. He’s aware of the fact that Tsukki deserves to know, especially since all of this considers him, too, and it’s not fair to lie to him all the time, but confessing would be a disaster. The irreverent words on his lips and mocking sparks in these brown eyes of his are not what he’d like to see. There was a time when he thought he was ready to take the risk, but now, when he’s actually supposed to do so, he discovers that he’s even bigger of a coward than he'd previously assumed.

The anger inside of him fades away. Instead, he exhales, which turns out to be a little too shaky to be considered perfectly normal.

“Listen,” he tries, his voice strange “it’s been a difficult period, recently, but I will be fine. I just need a break, that’s all.”

For a second, he actually thinks that Tsukki is going to give up and finally go, but then the boy huffs.

“I can’t believe you have the nerve to say all this bullshit,” he mutters, and then his voice becomes gradually louder, to the point where he almost yells, “For fuck’s sake, Yamaguchi – “

“You don’t want to know, okay?”

He balls his hands into fists, still hidden in the pockets of his jacket as he says it. The sentence is firm and dangerously unstable at the same time; Tsukishima’s face seems to ask _And why is that?._ Yamaguchi closes his eyes, probably for a second too long.

“I can’t tell you,” he speaks. “You really don’t want to know so please, could you just let it go? This… this is my concern, I can’t tell you. It would ruin everything.”

He knows he’s repeating himself, but there’s nothing else to say now.

Tsukishima is silent when he steps back a little, and Yamaguchi’s kind of afraid to look him in the eye because he has no idea what to expect.

And then the bell rings.

This is the sound that makes him look up, practically involuntary. The ring means Tsukishima will go and write his test in a minute and –

When he looks at the blonde, he discovers that there’s something odd in these gorgeous, mysterious eyes of his. Yamaguchi’s never been the best at reading other people’s expression or anything, and he fails at that now, as well. Trying to force a smile, he barely manages to catch a glimpse of a movement.

When he thinks about it later, he figures that maybe there was something odd in his own eyes, as well.

That is because the next thing he knows is that Tsukki is kissing him.

His heart stops, and it feels a little bit as if he was dying, if he can say so. He makes a tiny, surprised noise as their lips touch. It’s a bit awkward; his hands are shaking, and Tsukishima’s fingers are cold on his face, it’s all shy and hesitant and quick. But then the blonde’s licking at his lips, and Yamaguchi’s pressing back, and there are no others words in his mind than _oh God_ and _we’re kissing_.

When Tsukki pulls back, Yamaguchi finds himself gripping the boy’s arm. He’s sure his cheeks are flushed. Tadashi’s desperately searching for something to say, which is basically pointless now.

He doesn’t have to say anything. The next kiss, the one that follows just a few seconds later, is deeper, even better – before he knows it, he’s kissing back, tilting his head. Tsukki’s hands are on his waist, a firm grip, and Yamaguchi notices that this touch’s probably the best thing he’s ever experienced, aside from the sensation of Tsukishima’s hot, surprisingly eager lips on his own.

They both skip the rest of the classes that day.


End file.
